India Update 07
Potpourri
Just a little over one week before I will be heading home so I will try to make the remaining time “count”. What am I saying? The days so far have “counted” and have been crammed full of English Classes, class preparation and correcting papers, continual visits to my room by the brothers wanting to chat (or pretending to have an “English dilemma” and then chatting until I invite them to leave), a unique “pilgrimage / road trip”, a truly enriching environment for my personal spiritual formation, happenings, events, celebrations, a wedding (I have pictures J) and tomorrow I am off to a dinner at a local parishioner’s house. I have not slept for more than seven hours on any night, most nights it is six hours or less. I have taken no naps, there have been VERY FEW hours just to put one’s feet up. No sex; no alcohol; no TV; cold showers; you cannot eat the cows even though they are walking all over the place; malaria is common; snakes live in the garden; mosquitoes are vicious; the culture is very strange to me – however I am becoming accustomed to it; the food is great; the friendships are better than great; and I am enjoying every minute of it.
That was quite a spontaneous introduction to this India Update 07 but that is where my mind is today as I sit here in Fr J’s office and use his PC. It is Sunday afternoon and I had no English classes today; however, this morning I gave a one-hour “meditation” to the seminarians that were completing their monthly penitential period (i.e. an examination of conscious over a 40 hour period with no talking, followed by confession and Adoration). Last week Fr J asked if I wanted to give a one-hour “meditation” to the seminarians during this month’s penitential period. Although the topic was mine to choose, he suggested that I discuss The Laity’s Expectations for a Parish Priest (using the values found in the Eight Beatitudes as the structure for the meditation). I said, “Sure…nothing to it.” The preparation for my “meditation” was probably greater than five times the preparation effort for any one-hour class of English grammar or essay writing. Chapters from Matthew and Pope Benedict XVI’s book Jesus of Nazareth helped a lot. I was a bit concerned when I started out, but then everything started to click and I did a pretty good job if I do say so myself (no modesty here). The “meditation” received several sincere comments and Fr J even liked the organization of the typed outline (which I have kept as a souvenir). I haven’t worked this hard since I was in the army.
After returning from the pilgrimage to Dantoling I went right to work at Shanti Bhavan so there isn’t too much new information to share with you. However, I have collected a few notes that do not fit into any specific category – just random ideas, experiences, sights and sounds. I guess I’ll just ramble on with those. If this is boring just pitch it in the “circular file”. A major intent for these “Updates” is to keep a log of my impressions and experiences for myself so I can re-read them and enjoy this trip again in six months – while I relax after just eating a big steak from the grill and while I sip on a double bourbon Manhattan on the rocks J. So here are just a few random thoughts that come from my note pad.
Fire on the mountain: The tribal people who live on the mountains are not aware of the environmental impact of slash and burn cultivation. Unfortunately they often clear forest areas buy burning and then plant crops such as a variety of bean, tapioca, squash, and pumpkin that looks almost exactly like our pumpkins only they are more green in color. What kind of forests do they destroy in this process – gorgeous Teak Forests. Wood that is so hard and valuable that was used as decking on English sailing ships, our battle ships circa WWII and still today on expensive yachts. The shutters and doors at S.B. are made of teak and they are as tough as any materials I have seen for that purpose. At night you can see the fires on the mountains, as it gets dark.
Wild Elephant Area: While on the pilgrimage / road trip to Dantoling we went through a wooden area for about 25 kilometers. I saw a road sign with an elephant on it and asked hat it meant. The fathers told me that this was a National Forest and there were wild elephants in this area. [no smiles or twinkles of the eye – real wild elephants] They pointed out some damaged and uprooted trees to verify the fact and I started looking for elephants. Occasionally, a bull elephant “in musk” (i.e. hormones racing and looking for a female elephant) will come out on the road and attack cars, people, an ox cart, or anything that he cares to – like some rather large trees. We saw no elephants and I was happy to maintain my zoo and circus experience with elephants.
Women and Road Construction: Road construction as you might imagine relies heavily on manpower (or “people power” to be politically correct). There are a few pieces of heavy machinery like steamrollers, trucks for stone movement and a front loader now and then. However, the most unique aspect of road construction is the employment of women who squat close to the ground and hold a large rock in one hand and pound down rocks the size of a tangerine into the roadbed. If your break up boulders into smaller rocks, the smaller rocks usually will have at least one flat surface. That flat surface is placed up while the jagged or irregular part of the rock is placed down into the roadbed. Then the little rock is pounded into place by the women with the bigger rock they have in their other hand. Then the rocks are covered with gray clay like soil and the steamroller presses the roadbed smooth. Just think of a mile of road way and how many little rocks the size of a tangerine are pounded into place in this manner. Maybe the next time Joan and I discuss the subject of her housework I will bring up the topic of ladies on the Indian road gang. On second thought, maybe I wont. I am a pretty brave fellow, but I’m not that brave (or stupid).
Police Chimes: Here is one for the books. Just after 2400 at night I thought I heard gentle chimes (akin to an ice cream truck in the U.S. coming down the street on a summer afternoon – except much more muted and soft). After two or three instances of this I knew I wasn’t dreaming and asked Fr J what the chimes meant. I asked this at the dinner tabled and everyone smiled. It seems that the police have a gentle chimes machine on their jeeps and when they patrol the neighborhood at night (usually on a rather strict schedule) they play chimes so that the citizens will know that they are “on patrol” and protecting the neighborhood. This practice is widely scoffed at because anyone who is intending to commit crime is also warned of their approach and takes cover. The police are somewhat notorious for “If you don’t see the crime, there is no crime” and it is reported that way. What would be said in the U.S. if the police started using chimes while on patrol? “On patrol” might gain an entirely new meaning – “Ready or not, here we come.”
220 Volt Shocker: As many may already know, most European and Asian countries use 220 voltage for household use instead of the 110 voltage that we use in the U.S. It can pack a wallop if you are not careful – as I found out yesterday. Fr J’s computer has a 15-minute Uninterrupted Power Supply connected to it. As a result, when the commercial power suddenly goes off when you are in the middle of a major effort, you will not lose the file you are working on. You have 15 leisurely minutes to shut down the computer and save your work. I forgot that this device obviously has a good power charge therein. I went to use the computer and I picked up the 220 plug to plug it into the wall and inadvertently touched both the “hot” plugs and the “ground” plug (there are three). WOW, I saw stars and my fingertips were sensitive for about five minutes. That will not happen again any time soon.
Shanti Bhavan Cuisine: Have I lost weight as I (and several others) expected? NO!!! Breakfast is frequently thin & round pieces of flat bread (like the bread an enchilada is made with) and along side is served last nights left over meats or veggies. Another dish is tapioca in a light yellow “mush meal” form. Lots of starch and carbohydrates – also served with gravies and veggies. The vegetables are “string beans”, cabbage, cauliflower, and other varieties. At both breakfast and lunch I am served “coffee” in a large mug – hot steaming milk straight from the cow (no pasteurization or additives – the milk is simply boiled and it is creamy and very good – reminds me of Austrian coffee). Fr J uses the same rounded spoon full of powdered coffee that I use for my mug but he drinks his in a small teacup – like espresso. All meat is served in bite-sized chunks and in dark brown gravy. Goat, duck, chicken – all served in dark brown gravy. Caution is required with the bite-sized chunks – you cannot eat too quickly, they all have bone attached some how. It all tastes very good; however, I have not had a piece of boneless meat larger than my little finger nail since I have been in India. It teaches one a good lesson. We certainly have a very delicious meal with meat, tapioca or rice, flat thin bread, three kinds of veggies, coffee that is wonderful and that is all topped of with fruit for desert (usually plantain [a small banana] or small grapes or tangerine]). However, one chicken can serve six or seven men when smaller chunks are use as described above.
Computer Science: Under the category of “Other Duties As Assigned” I promoted the idea of a Computer Library to Father Joseph and he was very receptive. You will be astonished to see the WWII era typewriters the seminarians were using to practice typing (I have picturesJ). Thanks to your generosity Father Joseph now has an up to date PC ordered according to specifications I sent from Ocean City. His “old” PC, and two older PCs that were not in use elsewhere in the region, have been put into service in the Shanti Bhavan library room. I teach Computer Science three times a week and the brothers soak it up like a sponge. Just today I took a pole and asked, “How many brothers have ever put their hands on the keyboard of a PC before coming to Shanti Bhavan?” One hand rose and he was fortunate enough to have had some very limited training. Most seminarians had not touched a PC. As of this date I am proud to say that EVERY SEMINARIAN has created a folder in My Documents with his name on it and has created multiple files in Word and has saved those files in his very own folder. Files with pictures, personally drawn figures filled with colors, pictures, etc. have also been created and saved. In addition, all of my photographs have been put on Fr J’s old PC and the brothers access them regularly. They have also been given a brief lesson on burning a CD and have their own copy of a CD with lots of pictures. Whenever a visiting priest questions the value of seminarians being taught Computer Science I ask, “Father, when cell phones first came into use in India, were there priests who thought that this technology was a waste of time and money?” [NOTE: Every priest, and I mean every priest, I have met in India has a cell phone.] I usually do not get an immediate response to my first question, so I quickly state, “You know, I think it is the same with computers. Ten years from now priests will say, ‘How did we ever survive without computers.’”
Cordiality of the People: Orissa is different – so I am told. The cause is very complicated. It is, in part, a result of being the poorest and least developed state in India. Remember, from the Hindu perspective, what you are today in your present life is a result of what you did in a past life. If you are a human, you were very good in your past life. If you are rich and powerful, it is a result of your being very, very good in your previous life. (Who makes these rules – the rich and powerful J). If you are a mosquito, you were very bad in your previous life. If you are a worm in a dung pile – well let’s forget that. So the people of Orissa are very poor and “they deserve their fate – it is their “karma”. They were meant to be so. AND - that is a justification for taking advantage of them, persecuting them, generally kicking butt in the state of Orissa. Foreigners and other Indian citizens alike are viewed with suspicion. [I am describing this behavioral environment in very general terms for the widest audience. There are many, many subtleties in this behavioral milieu. Drew, you would love the finer points.] So when I, or any stranger walk through the neighborhood, I receive only stares from people who have learned for many generations to wonder about any stranger and when / if they will take advantage of them. The state of Calcutta, to the immediate north, is known for being the most outgoing and hospitable state in India. Walk down the main drag in villages (not the cities, but the villages) and you will often be invited into their homes for tea. Lots of smiles and waves “hello” when you walk through the villages (as is the case in Viet Nam). In any case, my understanding of Indian culture has grown with this understanding.
Vocations, vocations, vocations: India is rich in priests and nuns compared to the numbers of Catholics in the population. The Diocese of Rourkela is to the north and is known for the high number of vocations to both the priesthood and sisterhood. Their neighboring diocese (cannot remember the name) produces more priests than any other diocese in the world. That fact was recognized when the pope elevated their Bishop to the rank of Cardinal. As part of my “Other Duties As Assigned” I produced two brochures (one 8 ½ x 11 and one tri-fold) with lots of pictures and text for Father Robi who is assigned to Shanti Bhavan. He wears two hats, beside his teaching duties at Shanti Bhavan, he is also our diocesan Vocations Director. I cannot attach the brochures to my emails (files are too big) but I’ll share them and all my pictures with you when I return. Once a year the diocese has a “Vocations Day” at a centrally located parish in the diocese and over 200 young men show up to sit under the tents and listen to the priests talk about vocations, life as a priest and life at Shanti Bhavan (the only diocesan minor seminary). They never had brochures to give to these young men. Now they’ll have lots of them, with lots of pictures to show their parents – pictures are an important issue in the tribal regions.
Father Rush, you have to help me with the theological message in my motivation to support vocations in India. When I heard that the diocese to the north had more vocations than we did, the Irish in me came to the fore. “We’ll beat them in the number of vocations within two years or my name isn’t Flynn, says I”. Father Rush, is it true that competition in the name of the Lord is righteous work J?
Well that’s enough for India Update 07. I am getting silly and it is getting late. I leave India in four days and will be home in six days. I may get another email off to you but this is probably the last “India Update”. Hope you enjoyed them.
Love ya’ll,
Willie, Dad, Bill, U.B., whoever…
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